Everyone wants the Bok ‘boat to go faster’, says Vincent Tshituka

Players and coaches are all pulling together to ensure the Springbok boat goes faster ahead of Saturday’s showdown against a star-studded Barbarians side, new cap Vincent Tshituka says.

All eyes will be on the robust Democratic Republic of Congo-born loose forward when he pulls on the green and gold jersey for the first time at the Cape Town Stadium (kickoff 5.10pm).

A new-look Bok team want to hit the ground running against the famous invitational side ahead of Tests against Italy in Tshwane on June 6 and Gqeberha a week later.

“The guys who are preparing us for the Barbarians have shown togetherness,” Tshituka said.

“I’ve personally enjoyed that, and nobody’s door is closed, and everyone is willing to help and make this boat go faster. The green and gold is everything to me and my family, who have supported me along this journey. That is already a big enough occasion.

“To be honest with you, I haven’t even thought about the Barbarians players I’m facing. No disrespect to them and how they are feeling ahead of this game, but I must still take in how I feel and what I am going through.

“My moment is where I want to be present and I will keep my mind focused on that. It will be an emotional game for some of the Barbarians players, because it is at the back end of their careers. However, I must get over the emotion and get stuck in.”

Tshituka spoke of a frustrating wait for his South African identity documents.

“That was something I’ve tried to get for quite a while, and everybody asks me that question,” he said.

“Off the back end of the season, people have been saying, 'Yes, you’re going to play for the Springboks, you’re going to make it'. But that was always the best-case scenario for me, and I tried to put it on the back burner.

“For me, it was just, ‘Let me get the passport, let me be eligible to be in the race’, because without it I was never in the race. I felt like that was just the ticket to participate and then being selected for a Test match is winning a medal.

“The opportunity to be part of the race was huge and getting that through was big for me, my brother [Sharks teammate Emmanuel Tshituka] and my family. It’s a dream come true. 

It might not be an official Test match but for Tshituka, the experience of donning the national jersey in front a packed Cape Town Stadium will be a career highlight.

“Cape Town is known for coming out, and its crowd. I’ve no doubt that it’s going to be loud, and it’ll be an atmosphere that will be hard to forget. I’ll try focusing on doing my best, because it’s a great opportunity at this level.

Jesse Kriel will lead the Springboks after coach Rassie Erasmus was forced to make a late change to his team on Friday due to the withdrawal of Siya Kolisi with a niggle.

Marco van Staden has been drafted straight into the starting line-up as a replacement for Kolisi and will partner Tshituka and Jean-Luc du Preez in the loose trio, with the rest of the squad remaining as announced by Erasmus on Tuesday.

This will be the first time Kriel will lead the Springboks.

Teams

Springboks: 15 Aphelele Fassi; 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse; 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morne van den Berg; 8 Jean-Luc du Preez, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche. Replacements: 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 André Esterhuizen.

Barbarians squad: Cian Healy (Leinster), Will Collier (Castres), Hassane Kolingar (Racing 92), Paul Alo-Emile (Stade Francais), Camille Chat (Lyon), John “Ricky” Riccitelli (Blues), David Ribbans (Toulon), Ruben van Heerden (DHL Stormers), Josh Beehre (Blues), Hoskins Sotutu (Blues), Peter O’Mahony (Munster), Sam Cane (Tokyo Sungoliath), Shannon Frizell (Toshiba), Lachlan Boshier (Wild Knights), Tawera Kerr Barlow (La Rochelle), Santiago Arata Perrone (Castres), Melvyn Jaminet (Toulon), Josh Jacomb (Chiefs), Peter Umaga-Jensen (Hurricanes), Leicester Fainga’anuku (Toulon), Mark Tele’a (Blues), Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (Highlanders), Joe Marchant (Stade Francais).

The Herald